


lifetime of love

by Patrocool (all_the_homo)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst and Romance, Canon Era, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, This is pretty melochany???, idk - Freeform, this isnt very good im so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-17 01:03:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12354192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/all_the_homo/pseuds/Patrocool
Summary: James and Thomas grew up together, laughed together, loved together. They did everything with each other. It's only fitting that they were soulmates.





	lifetime of love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minervajeanlupin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minervajeanlupin/gifts).



> this is for the fall gift exchange. I hope you enjoy this, and i apologize if it seems rushed. It kind of was, unfortunately, since Word decided to randomly crash this morning and delete a lot of things (and now wont open), including this fic and two essays due next week. i apologize for that, and i matched it to the best of my ability, but it didn't turn out like the rest.
> 
> i hope you like it anyways.
> 
> there is character death in this, but they both die peacefully of old age, so.

Thomas Jefferson met James at a young age, having practically grown up together. They supported each other like their lives depended on it, loving and caring for each other endlessly. It had started off purely platonic, two young boys in a big world that they were determined to leave their mark in, but when other boys started looking at girls, wanting to get them in a bed, he started looking at James and wondering what it would be like to press their lips together. 

At the age of 15, the two of them were sitting in the gardens behind Monticello, speaking quietly of nothing in particular. 

“Thomas, do you really expect me to believe all of the nonsense that comes out of your mouth?” James said, an amused smile on his lips. “It’s obviously made up. You could’ve at least tried harder to make it believable.” 

“I’m telling the truth, honest!” Thomas tried to defend, but he was having a hard time keeping a straight face. “It jumped right onto my plate!” 

James snorted. “What were you doing with a plate by the pond anyways? There’s no way a fish would jump more than maybe a foot out of the water, and I doubt you just happened to be holding a plate above the water.” 

Thomas snorted and started laughing, shaking his head. "Alright, alright, I admit it, I made it up," he said with a grin, eyes sparkling with amusement. 

James tried to look unimpressed, but a small smile managed to slide on his lips without permission. "You're a fool, Thomas, a great, silly fool," he scolded teasingly. "Whatever will the ladies think?" 

"Probably just that, my dear James, probably just that." Thomas paused for effect. "I meant the great part, of course, not the fool bit." 

As they laughed to themselves over silly nothings, James caught sight of some words on Thomas's neck as he threw his head back. 

"Are those your Words?" He asked without thinking, curiosity ruling over his tact immediately. "May I see them?" 

Thomas looked startled at the question, but his smile stayed, if not turned a little puzzled. "I guess so. I see no harm in that. But only if I can see yours." 

James hummed for a moment before nodding. "I guess that's fair. Well?" He perched on the edge of the stone bench they were sharing, looking eager as ever for new knowledge. "Let me see!" 

Thomas snickered and undid his neckerchief carefully to let James read the words. 

"'Farewell, my love'," James read softly, smiling gently. "That's lovely. Your soulmate sounds just lovely, Thomas. I'm sure she'll be the prettiest woman you've ever laid eyes on, in fact." 

Thomas laughed, retying his necktie. "Thank you, Jemmy. Now, what about yours?" 

James pulled up his sleeve to reveal the words, "I'll see you again soon". His smile was a bit sad. "I hope she says this because she expects to see me in Heaven, not because I am leaving on a trip or something similar and never make it back." 

Thomas pursed his lips and reached over to squeeze James' arm. "It'll be okay. You'll find out eventually, but soulmates aren't everything." 

After that day, it became a saying between the two. "Soulmates aren't everything." After all, you could only know who your soulmate is after one of you dies. 

So, they all but ignored their Words completely, going on through their lives side by side. They did everything together, and wherever Thomas went, James was close behind. 

The first time they ever kissed was a drunken night in James' room while there was a party going on outside. Neither one forgot, but neither one mentioned it until almost a year later, when they finally came to terms with the fact that there was no way around the way they felt. 

Years passed in flurries of hidden kisses, forbidden touches, sneaky smiles, and quiet laughter as they leaves fell, died, grew and bloomed throughout the seasons. It was something just for them, secret that only they knew and no one else. They loved each other, and refused to allow the society tell them they couldn't. They were just quiet about it. 

They both married woman who were similar to them and their tastes- Thomas with Martha, and her preference for other ladies, and James to Dolly and her preference for her books and cooking. 

They were never more than a letter away from each other. Even when Thomas was in France, they kept in touch, sending letter after letter to each other that often ended with them receiving several letters at once. 

James and Thomas against the world (and Hamilton). They fought, debated and talked as a single, undefeatable unit. It was simply the way they worked. 

The years continued to pass, however, until they had both become old and Thomas was soon bedridden from an illness. James stayed as often as he could, him, Martha and their many children taking shifts next to his bed. 

It was on one of those shifts that James got confirmation on what he had always suspected. 

"James," Thomas' voice was soft and raspy, but not weak. James could never see him as weak. 

"What is it?" James asked softly, taking Thomas' hand. The children were all gone and in bed by then. 

"I-I love you." Thomas whispered, barely aware. 

James felt tears well in his eyes as he smiled, kissing his knuckles. "I love you too, Thomas." 

"My time is here, James," Thomas said, staring just to the left of his face. "Do you understand? My time is up." 

"I understand," James nodded. "I know." And he did. He could tell, he had no idea how, but he could tell that Thomas wasn't going to live much longer. 

Thomas relaxed a little on the bed and squeezed his hand. "Jemmy," he murmured, question clear in his eyes. 

James smiled and kissed him lightly. "Farewell, my love," he whispered, voice tight with tears. He didn't realize what he said until he said it. 

Thomas smiled widely, reaching up to cup James' face. "I'll see you again soon," he promised. 

With a final kiss, James left to wake the Jefferson family to say goodbye to a dying man. 

After Thomas's death, James got sicker even easier that before. He didn't go out as much, he kept to himself, he didn't talk to many people in person any longer. He didn't want to interact with a world without Thomas by his side, holding him up and supporting him. 

During that time, Dolly kept him company, reading with him in the library, eating and cooking meals with him, taking walks around the property together. She was no Thomas Jefferson, but it didn't make her any less lovely. 

Almost exactly a decade after his Thomas had died, James was on his deathbed. He could feel it in his bones, in his heart, in his soul. 

He was okay with it. He was at peace. His wife was at his side, holding his hand. He smiled faintly at her, squeezing and she nodded. She understood. 

She smiled with tears in her eyes, bringing his thin hand up to her mouth to kiss. It felt like nothing more than a brush of butterfly wings. 

"Dolly," he whispered, voice feeble but still warm. "I will see you again soon, but please... Take your time. Embrace the time you have left." 

Tears spilled over her cheeks as she giggled, like she was the lovely young girl he courted so long ago. "James," she murmured. "I love you. Say hello to Thomas for me." 

His smile widened minutely and he closed his eyes, laying back and relaxing with a soft sigh. 

It was on June 28th, 1836, only 6 days before the 10th year anniversary of his best friend and lover's death, that James Madison released his last breath.


End file.
